View full sizeAP File PhotosWhat would Martin Luther King Jr. say to the Occupy Wall Street movement? MSU's College of Arts and Letters hosts a free panel discussion on that topic from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday in 105 Kedzie Hall.

EAST LANSING -- What would Martin Luther King Jr. say to Occupy Wall Street?

Some Michigan State University professors and a 2012 Marshall Scholar say the preeminent leader of the civil rights movement would suggest a better approach to the day's racial issues.

MSU's College of Arts and Letters hosts a panel discussion on what Occupy Wall Street could learn from King's methods and practices. The event is free to the public and is held from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday in 105 Kedzie Hall.

"Like MLK's civil rights movement, at the center of Occupy Wall Street are issues of class divisions. But the movement has been criticized for perpetuating racially insensitive rhetoric and lacking diversity in its leadership, the panelists said. As such, OWS protestors could be inspired by King's understanding of the significance of race in the United States."

MSU hosts several other events celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, including a commerative march and a dinner on campus. Click here for a full list.